Making the Expo a Green Event

The Living Green Expo is an opportunity for Minnesota citizens to experience green living. As we plan this popular annual event, we make concerted efforts to reduce solid waste and the use of water and energy.

• Less waste. Recycling and food waste composting handle the majority of the waste produced at the Expo, thanks in large part to Coolidge Trucking and Recycling, the event's St. Paul-based recycling partner. Staffed stations are scattered all around the facilities and grounds, with volunteers helping educate visitors about appropriate disposal options.
  
  In 2009, compostable food wastes will be handled by RW Farms Composting.
  
  Exhibitors and workshop presenters are expected to voluntarily minimize the amount of waste they generate, by limiting handouts or promotional items, and ensuring that discards can be kept out of the trash.
  
  

  Earning a green star. In 2008, with a record attendance of 25,000 visitors, the event generated just 420 pounds of trash (just 5% of the total waste); over 7,900 pounds were recycled and composted.

  
  
  
• Electricity and transportation. Event sponsor Metro Transit is encouraging visitors to use public transportation to get to the event, offering Go Greener passes for free bus/train rides to and from the Expo.
  
  Taking it to another level, they are again purchasing renewable energy credits from Xcel Energy's Windsource program to offset the energy used by the Hiawatha light-rail line during the Expo weekend.
  
  
• Paper and trees. Expo organizers use 100% post-consumer recycled paper for posters and programs. Vendors have been encouraged to reduce their distribution of paper at the event, and workshop presenters can post their presentations and handhouts online for reference after the event.
  
  
• Signage of the times. For this event, Expo planners don't use inexpensive banners made from vinyl, a material which has a host of pollution issues associated with it. Instead, signage is made using recyclable Tyvek plastic, recycled polyethylene fabric, recycled-content plastic board, and paper. Recognizing the benefits of an annual event, great care is taken to preserve reuse banners and signage for promotion and event logistics.
  

Find out more

GreenGatherings is a partnership formed to shape the greening of events around the Twin Cities. Visit their web pages for resources, assistance, and inspiration.

Measure up. Use these online tools to estimate and offset the environmental impact of your green meetings.

• Links to online calculators of environmental impacts: www.nextstep.state.mn.us/res_detail.cfm?id=1189
• Carbon Footprint Calculator to determine carbon dioxide emissions from home energy consumption and transportation by car and plane, and to purchase wind generation capacity to offset these emissions.
• Climate Change Calculator to estimate the number of trees needed to be planted to compensate for carbon dioxide generated by transportation, energy use, waste generation, and other activities.
• How much paper can be made from a tree? provides conversions to estimate the number of trees consumed by paper use.